The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for machining centering chamfers on gear shafts by establishing a reference axis and subsequently machining the shaft by rotating it about this axis.
The method and apparatus find particular application in the manufacture of gear shafts having a gear wheel extending generally laterally from the shaft. The manufacture of such elements, particularly for aeronautical usage, entails rigorous accuracy and quality. It is conventional practice to provide an inner chamfer at each end of the gear shaft to act as a center for the shaft about which the shaft and gear rotate.
It is also typical to subject the gear shaft to a heat treatment after forming the shaft and the gear. The heat treatment usually causes slight deformations in the shaft and the gear teeth, known in the art as offsets and warps.
Consequently, it is necessary to subject the gear shaft to further machining operations to rework the centers before the element can be finish machined, including machining to tight tolerances the rolling supports and the gear teeth.